Manufacture of stoppering crowns or caps for bottles.



W. BAILEY. MANUFACTURE OF STOPPERING CROWNS 0R CAPS FOR BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1909. Patented Apr. 20,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1. f

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W. BATLEY.

FMNUFACTURE 0F STOPPERING CROWHS 0B CAPS F093 BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22- I909- Pawlwd Apr. 28, 19%.

3 SHEETS-BEBE? B.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. I909.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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metal crown.

WILLIAM BAILEY, DE BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNGB, BY MESNEgASSIGNMENTS, T0 CROWN CORK & $EAL COMPANY, OF BALTIMGRE, MABYLAFD.

IMNUFACT'UBE OF STOPPERING (IE-OWNS 0R CAPS FOR BOTTLES.

masses.

T all whom it may concern: I Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BAILEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Victoria Works, Hartord street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Manufacture of Stoppering Crowns or Caps for Bottles and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of bottle stoppering crowns or caps in which a cork washer is fitted inside the crown, said washer being covered with tin foil to prevent the cork from coming into contact with the liquid contained in the hottle and thereby tainting the contents. This inner sheet of metal which covers the surface of the cork is retained by the upper edge of the neck of the bottle when the cap is in position. This method of lining the metal caps as plesent practised takes considerable time as the tin foil has to be placed on the cork washers by hand before they are inserted in the metal crowns; even when the cork washer is stuck to the bottom of the cap as is done in some cases, it is necessary to fit into the cap the sheet of tin foil which serves to cover the cork. If glue be employed for sticking the metal covering to the cork washer, the glue may be objectionable as it is liable to impart an unpleasant flavor to the contents "of the bottle.

The object of the present invention is to obviate these various defects and to provide metal caps provided internally with a lining which "forms a perfect hermetic joint and which does not impart any unpleasant taste to the contents of the bottles.

According to this invention the metal crown or cap is provided with a washer oi cork having on the face which is to come inside the bottle a protecting sheet of thin metal such as tin, aluminum or the like which adheres to the cork washer but without being stuck thereto, being retained around it entire periphery by its edge which has been raised and closed over upon the opposite face of the cork washer, that is to say upon the face which will be applied against the bottom of the stamped The cork washer thus covered with a sheet of metal the periphery of Specification of Letters Eatent.

Fatented Apr. 2% 1%15 Application filed smear as, race. Serial no. 525,471.

vided for it by the bottom of the metal crown by a slight lateral compression of the said crown.

The metal crowns obtained by the improved method of manufacture are provided with a washer, the metal covering of which is fixed without glue by a circumferential mechanical action in such a manner that these crowns can be arranged readily and rapidly upon the bottles to he stoppered thereby permitting of very speedy stoppering under the most perfect conditions from the point of view of security and of the good condition of the bottled products.

In order that the said invention may .be easily understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine for carrying the invention into practice. Fig. 2 IS. a sectional plan on the line M-M in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the means for feeding the cork disks or washers into proper relation to the strip of covering material; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the strip of tin foil or the like, the washer or disk of cork, and the punch, die and plate for operating in connection therewith; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the parts in their operated positions; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the expanding die and associated parts; Fig. 7 is a View of a portion of Fig. 6 with the parts in another position; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the disk complete; Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the stopper disk arranged with the cap and the plunger fognassembling the parts; Fig. 10 is a sectional 'view of the dies for uniting the stopper disk and cap; Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 with the dies in another position; Fig. 12 is a view of the cap with the stopper disk within it; Fig. 13 is a side view of the metallic cap; Fig. 14 is a plan view of the cap; Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the cap and another form of stopper disk in which the foil or covering is corrugated to present an excess of foil or looseness on its face; Fig. 16 is a plan view of the article shown in Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a detail view partly in section showing the manner of supporting a backing plate; Fig. 18 is a view of a detail.

Upon the frame A of the machine there is arranged a. vertically disposed tube 13 as represented in the detailwiew Fig. 3. This tube B contains the cork washers a. that are to be covered by disks of metal such as tin or aluminium before they are inserted in the bottle stoppering caps.

The metal I) such as tin foil, supplied by the roller 0 arranged on the machine is fed by two rollers one of which d is given a movement of intermittent rotation. This strip of metal which is thus fed intermittently runs directly over the punch C which cuts it into disks; a cork washer a which before the metal was cut had been pushed beneath it by a slide G having a reciprocating movement is then placed between the metal and a solid die P which slides in the hollow punch C referred to above. As soon as the hollow punch C which eflects an alternating movement of ascent and descent has stamped the disk out of the metal I) .the die I which likewise effects an alternating movement of ascent and descent acts and presses the disk of metal and the cork washer a'into a cylindro-conical hole 6 in a plate D which efi'ects an intermittent movement of rotation. The cutter Cis of larger diameter than {the opening 6.

As shown in Fig. 5 the disk of metal which is then bent over completely surrounds the cork a; it is therefore only necessary to turn the edges of the metal onto the cork by closing over in order to obta1n an entirely finished stopper. With this ob ect the plate D in rotating conducts the washer prepared as shown in Fig. 5 opposlte an expanding die N formed in four parts which in engaging the inclined or inwardly directed walls of'the hole 6 in the plate D move inwardly toward each other and turn the edges of the metal over the cork as shown in Fig. 8, the metal I) thus turned over being thoroughly united with the cork washer that it covers; it therefore only remains to introduce the stopper thus constltuted into the interior of the crowns or caps. The crowns which are fed by any appropriate means into notches or recesses formed on the periphery of a plate V WhICl'I is given a movement of intermittent rotat on come successively opposite a die F which inserts within the crown a washer covered in the manner d scribed.

The plate V provided with the crown inside which the covered washer has merely been deposited continues to rotate and stops at the moment at which the crown is arranged between an upper die I and a lower die M Fig. 11.

The die I serves to press the stopper to the bottom of the crown while the die M exerts a slight compression upon the outer periphery of the crown around the washer, thus forming a perfect connection there is keyed a bevel pinion 7 which engages with another bevel pinion f mounted at the end of an intermediate vertical shaft K which at its other extremity carries a bevel pinion g which imparts movement to a bevel, pinion g and consequently to the lower horizontal shaft E rigidly connected to the said pinion. The shaft E has likewise keyed upon it a worm h with a single thread which meshes with a worm wheel i mounted on a vertical shaft 0 which is rigid with the plate D provided with the.

cylindro-conical holes 6 hereinbefore referred to and the control of which is clearly shown in plan in Fig. 2. I

In order that the shaft 0 and the plate D may be given a movement of intermittent rotation although the shaft E has a continuous movement of rotation the worm in is shaped in such a manner that its thread is situated on one side of a diameter in a plane normal to the axis of the worm so that during a half revolution of the shaft E the shaft 0 remains motionless and rotates only during the other half revolution of the shaft E.

On either side of the worm it there are mounted two cams Q and Q which support a carriage R by the intermediary of the rollers j and j and carriage being suitably guided in the frame. Two springs 7c and 7: connected on the one hand with a cross piece on mounted on the frame of the machine and on the other hand with the carriage R cause the latter to bear strongly by means of the rollers j and 9' upon the corresponding cams Q and Q Upon the carriage R'there is mounted the hollow punch C so that during the movement of continuous rotation of the shaft E, the punch C on the carriage, continuously in contact with its cams, is given an alternating movement of ascent and descent and thus in its upward movement stamps out the disk of metal intended for covering the cork washer which is to be fitted to the bottom of the crown; the metal b stamped out (see Fi 4) is then located between the 7 plate D an a cork washer a.

- Licence Two other cams S and S likewise mounted on the shaft E serve as a support for a second carriage R by the intermediary of rollers cc and 71 this carriage R carries the solid die P which slides inside the hollow punch C and which is intended to force the cork a and the stamped disk of metal I) into the cylindro-conical holes 6. Under the influence of the cams S and S the solid die P in its upward movement presses backthe metal and the corkinto a hole 6 in the plate D which during the operation has remained stationary as shown in Fig. 5; a spring 0 connected on the one hand with the cross piece at and on the other hand with the carriage B maintains'the latter constantly in Contact with the cams S and S by the intermediary of therollers n and n It therefore only femains to turn down the edges of the metal upon the cork by means of the expanding die N already referred to. This die N, Fig. 6 is cylindrical and is formed of four segments jointed at their base to a cross piece p and slides in a bearing 9 rigid with the frame of the machine. Two springs r and r arranged inside the die tend to separate the segments one from the other so that they occupy the position shown in Fig. 6. The die N rests at its base upon a regulating screw 8 Fig. 1 screwed into a lug on the carriage R.

l/Vhen after having rotated, the plate D presents one of its holes 6 provided with a cork covered with metal, opposite the die N, it stops during the half revolution of the shaft E which corresponds to the moment at which the worm it presents the straight part of its thread in contact with the toothed wheel At this moment the carriage R ascends and. the adjusting screw 8 acting upon the die N, the latter likewise ascends and enters the conical part of the hole 6. It then closes progressively in turning down upon the cork a the edges of the metal washer b as clearly shown in Fig. 7. In order to prevent the cork from passing out at the upper part of the hole e while the die N edects the closing over operation a plate 2? is supported by the bracket 9 Fig. 17 just above the hole 2 and this plate stops the cork in its displacement, so that during the closing over operation the metal covered cork is vigorously pressed between the plate t and the die N. A spring u normally holds the die N in contact with the screw 8. The stopper thus constituted presents the form represented in section in Fig. 8 the metal 32 being firmly secured to the cork a and'it then only remains to arrange it inside a cap to render the latter suitable for stoppering a bottle. The die N might be made hollow vertically in order to enable cork washers broken in the course of the manufacture to escape, only the outer periphery of the die being utilized for closing over the metal, the edges of the die clamping the metal and pressing it onto the cork washer.

Before explaining the manner in which the stoppers thus prepared are arranged inside the caps, it will be explained, how the cork washers a are brought in succession opposite a hole e in the plate D and just above the solid die P, the manner in which the intermittent feed of the band of metal 6 is produced so that the hollow die C stamps out the metal disk.

As shown in the detail view Fig. 3, the slide G is rigidly secured to a small shaft 1 capable of sliding in a slot 2 formed in a lever 3, the lower end of which alternately comes into contact with a roller 4 carried by the cam S. When the shaft E rotates the roller 4 acts upon the end of the lever 3 which thus rocks about its pivot 3' and causes the slide G to advance. This slide is exactly the thickness of a cork washer a and presses one opposite a hole 6 in the plate D and onto the top of the die P. When the roller 4 leaves the lever 3, the slide is brought rearward by a spring 5 fixed on the one hand to the lever 3 and on the other hand to the frame of the machine. The slide G for feeding the cork washers a may be replaced by a disk receiving a movement of intermittent rotation which would deposit the washers one after the other upon the solid die.

The intermittent feed of the metal is produced in the following manner: The metal I) iscarried by a roller 0 mounted on the machine; in unwinding it passes between two feed rollers only one of which, d, is driven and is rigid with a ratchet wheel 6 which is actuated by a pawl 7 mounted on a fork 8. The fork 8 is connected by a rod 9 (see Fig. 1) with a vertical rod 10 appropriately guided and connected with the. cam S keyed upon the shaft E. It will be understood that in its movement of rotation the cam S causes an alternating movement of ascent and descent of the rod 10 so that the feed roller (1 is given a movement of intermittent rotation which it communicates to the strip of metal I) which unwinds from the roller a mounted on the machine. A spring 11 constantly maintains the rod 10 in contact with the cam S The caps o which are deposited upon a table T are displaced by a plate U which receives a movement of continuous rotation, and are arranged successively in the notches formed in a plate V which receives a movement of intermittent rotation.

The plate U is operated in the following manner: On the end of the shaft J there is mounted a bevel pinion a: which meshes with a bevel pinion m keyed to the end of an intermediate shaft X which at its other end carries another bevel pinion g driving a second shaft Y by the intermediary ofits pinion g Upon the shaft Z of the plate U there is keyed a pinion a which is driven by tical shaft receives its movement of intermittent rotation by the intermediary of a worm with a single thread I), Fig. 18 analogous to the screw it. This screwlz. keyed upon the driving shaft J meshes with a Worm wheel 71 mounted on the shaft 0 of the plate V; accordingly with this method of driving which is analogous to that of the plate D, the plate V receives a movement of intermittent rotation. There are likewise keyed upon the shaft J two cams 12 which by means of the rollers 13 contact with a vertical slide 14 sliding in a part 15 of the frame A. The cams 12 in their movement of rotation impart to the slide 14 an alternating movement of ascent and descent.

The rollers 13 of this slide are held constantly in contact with the cams 12 by a a hole 6 in a second plate D which efiects a movement of intermittent rotation produced by the plate V the peripheral teeth of which mesh with corresponding teeth in the plate D The plate D provided with the stopper brings the latter opposite a die F fixed to the slide. At the same time a cap 0 engaged in a notch in the plate .V comes immediately beneath the cork washer so that when the slide 14 descends the die F presses the metal covered cork washer and deposits it in the cap located below. It then only remains to force the cork to the bottom of the cap and produce a slight lateral compression upon the periphery of the said cap in order to secure the cork washer.- This operation is effected in the following manner: The late V provided with a cap 0 in which the ie F has deposited a cork washer as shown in Fig. 9 continues to rotate until the 'cap comes between an. upper die I and a lower die VI. The die I-F1g. 10 is mounted on the slide 14 and inside the die M there slides a piston 18 provided with a shoulder 19 guided in a casing 24 carried by the machine. A spring 20 bearing on the one hand beneath the shoulder 19 and on the other hand on a washer 21 carried by an adjusting screw 22 surrounds the rod 23 of the piston and maintains the latter constantly raised.

When the slide 14 descends under the influence of the cams 12 the die I presses the crown furnished with the cork washer into the die and the piston 18 yields beneath the pressure until its rod 23 comes into contact with the washer 21 on the adjusting screw metal covered cork washer and forces it completely inside the cap; during this time the die M in exerting a slight lateral compression upon the periphery of the cap insures with an adhesive and impermeable substance, this Washer being stamped out by a '22. The die I continues to press upon the special die on the machine and fed to the I 1 bottom of the cap.

It is also possible either during the process of manufacture or after the manufacture to produce corrugations upon the disk of metal which covers the cork washer as shown in cross section in Fig. 15 and in plan in Fig. 16 {the metal would then be able without tearing to undergo tension which might result fromthe extension of the subjacent cork washer in case of excessive pressure at the time of stoppering.

In the foregoing description it is assumed that the washer which forms the lining is of cork but it will be understood that it might equally as well be of cardboard, felt or any other appropriate material presenting pliability and elasticity. Similarly it' IS assumed that the sheet covering thesaid washer upon one. face which has its edge turned up and turned down upon the other face so as to form one with this washer is of extremely thin tin foil; it is possible however to use sheets of thin metal such as aluminum or employ some other; material such as parchmented paper. Finally it should be clearly understood that metal caps of any kind may be lined in the same manner and by the same means. i

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In-a machine for the manufacture of bottle stoppering crowns, the combination with a rotating conveyer plate for the cork sertions, a die for stamping out disks of flexible material, means for applyin said disks to the cork insertions, means or inserting said cork insertions in the crowns and means for securing said insertions therein.

3. In a machine for the manufacture of bottle stoppering crowns, the combination of a rotating conveyer plate for the cork insertions, a roller carrying a band of flexible material, two concentric dies the outer of which stamps out disks from said band, and the inner of which receives the cork insertions and is actuated so as to bring foil or other suitable flexible material, means for intermittently feeding said band, a die for stamping disks from the said band, and a matrix plate acting in conjunction with said die to apply the disks to the cork insertion to be held thereby.

5. In a machine for the manufacture of bottle stoppering crowns, the combination of a rotating conveyor plate for the cork insertions, a roller carrying a band of tin foil or other suitable material, means for intermittently feeding said band, a die for stamping disks from the said band, a matrix acting in conjunction with said die to apply the said disks to the cork insertions leaving an edge of the disk turned down, an expanding die which is adapted to embrace the lower edge of the turned-down disks and secure it to the cork insertions and means for applying and securing said covered insertions in the stoppering crowns.

6. In a machine for the manufacture of bottle stoppering crowns the combination of a. rotating conveyer plate for the cork insertions, a die for stamping out disks of tin foil or other suitable material. means for applying said disks to the cork insertions to cover the same, means for applying said covered insertions to the stoppering crowns, a die having a spring controlled inner member which die produces a circumferential contraction of the outer periphery of the crown to secure the covered cork insertion therein, and means for discharging said finished crowns.

7. in a machine for the manufacture of bottle stoppering crowns, the combination of a rotary plate having recesses, means for feeding the cork or like insertions thereinto and covering them with sheet material, a second plate to convey the covered insertions to be assembled with the stoppering crowns, a third plate to convey the crowns to be assembled with the insertions, means for securing the insertions within the crowns, and a fourth plate for delivering crowns to the third plate, substantially as described.

8. in a machine of the class described, supply means for sealing disks, supply means for covers of tin foil or the like, assembling means including a folder for wrapping the tin foil cover about the sealing disk to cover one face. its edge, and fold over the other face. and assembling means for the foil covered disks and metallic caps, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the class described, supply means for sealing disks, supply means for a strip of tin foil or the like, a. cutter to cut covers from the strip, assembling means including devices for folding or wrapping the tin foil cover about the sealing disk, and assembling means for the foil cover disks and metallic caps, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a machine of the class described, a member having an opening, means for positioning a sealing disk, and tin foil or like material opposite said opening with the foil interposed between said disk and opening and with the edge portion of the foil extending beyond the edge of the sealing disk and the edge of the opening, a cutter adjacent the opening, a die for forcing the cover into the opening to thereby fold the edge of the foil across the edge of the disk so as to project beyond the face thereof and folding means for turning the projecting edge of the foil from all points over the remaining face of the disk, while held in said opening, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a machine of the class described, a member having an opening, a cutter and a die concentrically arranged at said opening, with the die within the cutter, feeding means to locate a sealing disk opposite said opening and tin foil or the like between the same and the opening, operating means for the cutter to make the same sever portions from the strip of foil and operating means for the die to force the sealing disk and interposed severed foil portion into the opening in the said member, substantially as described. I

12. In combination in a machine of the class described, a member having an opening, a cutter and a die concentrically arranged at said opening with the die within the cutter, feeding means to locate a sealing disk opposite said opening and tin foil or the like between the same and the opening, operating means for the cutter to make the same sever portions from the strip of foil, and operating means for the die to force the sealing disk and interposed severed foil portion into the openin in the said member, and a folder for turning the edge of the foil over the sealing disk while in the opening, substantially as described.

13. in combination in a machine of the class described, a conveyor member having an opening, a cutter and a die, the cutter being of larger diameter than the opening, means for feeding sealing disks and a tin foil or like strip to said cutter and die, operating means for the cutter and die for causing the cutting of a cover of foil and forcing the same with the sealing disk into the opening in the conveyor to partly fold the foil about the disk and a folder to which the conveyer carries the disk and foil cover with means for operating the folder, sub-v stantially as descrlbed.

14. In combination in a machine of the class described, a member having an opening with a flaring mouth portion, a die for forcing a sealing disk and a tin foil or like cover into said opening and a contracting die to work against the flaring wall of the opening to fold the edge of the tin foil cover overthe edge of the disk, substantially as described.

I 15. In combination in a machine of the classdescribed, a feeder for sealing disks, a feeder for a strip of foil or the like, a cutter to sever foil covers from the strip, an assembler for the sealing disks and foil covers, a folder for folding the foil cover over the sealing disk, a feeder for metallic caps and an assembler for .the foil covered sealing disks and the metallic cap, substantially as described.

16. In combination in a machine of the class described, an assembler for sealing disks and covers of tin foil or the like, a folder to turn the edge of the foil cover over upon the face of the sealing disk, an assembler tobring metallic caps and the sealing disks into position with the folded edge of the foil opposite the interior side of the cap, and means for uniting the disks andcap with the folded edge. of the foil interposed between them, substantially as described.

17. In a machine of the class described, means for first'uniting a sealing disk and a cover of flexible sheet material, and means for then assembling said sealing disks with metallic caps with the covered face of the sealing dis'k exposed and for uniting said parts, substantially as described.

18. In a machine of the class described,

' means for supplying compressible sealing disks, means for supplying thin metallic foil or like covers for said disks, means for uniting the said metallic foil covers with the compressible sealing disks by applying the foil to cover one face turning the edge of the cover over the edge of the sealing disk, and part way over its rear face, and means for assembling the foil covered sealing disks with metallic caps with the covered face of said sealing disks exposed, substantially as described.

19. In combination in a machine of the I class described, a carrier having an opening,

a plunger for moving a sealing disk and a material to extend over one face, the edge and only part of the other face of the circular sealing disk, means for forcing the said sealing disk into the opening in said member, means for folding theedge of the flexible disk radially of and only partly over the said other face of the sealing disk, leaving the remainder of said face exposed, substantially as described. I

21. In combination a carrier having an opening, means for forcing a sealing disk and a tinfoil or like cover into said opening from below, means below the carrier for folding the edge of the tinfoil disk over the sealing disk, means for holding a cap in inverted position and means for moving the tinfoil covered disk into said cap, substantially as described.

22. In combination, a member having an opening, means for moving a sealing disk and a tinfoil or like cover into said opening. and an expandingdie having movement axially and radially in respect to the said opening to fold the foil cover over the face of the sealing disk, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- WILLIAM BAILEY.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. SKERTEN, T. Srnuy WARnLn. 

